Automatic punch can opener



Aug. 13, 1963 R. .1. SCHUSSLER 3,100,341

AUTOMATIC PUNCH CAN OPENER Filed May 1, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 IGI u I6 l7 32 3a A 21 9 ,44

41 T 45 35 -23 34 r lO 36 I I 7 INVENTOR. 37 I ROBERT J. SCHUSSLER 2 r, A110.RNEY

United States Patent 3,100,341 AUTOMATIC PUNCH CAN OPENER Robert J. Schussler, 42 Amherst Ave., Colonia, NJ. Filed May 1, 1962, Ser. No. 191,479 2 Claims. (Cl. 3(l-4) My invention relates to an automatic punch can opener and more particularly to a device for quickly and automatically opening cans of liquid and other pourable substances.

Heretofore there have been many attempts to design an automatic punch can opener; but for the most part, these attempts have been unsuccessful since the power required to effectively punch a hole or holes in a can top requires considerable energy overloading electrical circuits, especially when more than one opener is to be used on a single line or when solenoid types of openers are employed.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a punch can opener which consumes a minimum amount of power for its operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a punch can opener which will operate, almost continuously, over long periods of time with a minimum of wear on the operating parts.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a punch can opener coupled with an automatic feed; whereby the cans are automatically fed into the opener and automatically ejected after opening.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the specifications and the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a partially broken away front view of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial view of the automatic can feed mechanism taken from the top.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the automatic can feed mechanism taken along line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the can punch and the can punch operating mechanism.

Referring to the drawings in the base of the device upon which is mounted a standard type of speed reducer 11 connected by a pulley 1 2 and drive belt 13 to drive pulley 14 of a motor -15, said motor being preferably electric.

Speed reducer 11 is double ended terminating in a rotary drive shaft having ends 16 and 17; shaft end :16 being firmly affixed to the axis of wheel 18 which has a cam slot 19 cut into its inner surface. The cam slot is adapted to receive cam follower 20 mounted on cam follower arm 21 which is pivoted to bracket 22 at 23; said bracket being firmly afiixed to the base 10. At the opposite end of arm 21 there is pivoted at 24 a drive rod 25 whose opposite end is pivoted at 26 to a punch holder 27 mounted to reciprocate vertically and held from horizontal movement in guide slot 28. The forward portion of punch holder 27 has affixed to it, in any suitable manner, a punch plate 29 carrying on its lower surface one or more cutting punches 30.

Referring now -to FIGS. 3 and 4, shaft end 17 has firmly affixed to it a cam 31 adapted to rotate and at one point in its rotation, contact and force backward rocker arm 32 pivoted at 33 to the housing of speed reduction box 3,166,341 Patented Aug. 13, 1963,

11. Rocker arm 32 is also pivoted at 34, by sliding in slot 34a, in proximity to its opposite end, to a lever 35 which in turn is pivoted at 36 to bracket 37 firmly aflixed to base 10.

To the top of lever 35 at 38 there is attached a flexible steel cable 39 which runs from lever 35 around guide wheel 40 said guide Wheel being mounted for free rotation on fixed shaft 41 attached at its lower end to base 10.

Cable 39 passes around guide wheel 40' and terminates in a connection at 42 to feed carriage 43 mounted for reciprocating horizontal movement in slide track 44; said feed carriage terminating in can loader hook 45.

The rocker arm 32 is held in contact with feed cam 31 by a spring 46 attached at one end to the rocker arm and at the other end to base 10 and the feed carriage is constantly urged to its loading position by spring 47 attached at one end to the feed carriage and at the other end to base =10.

Operation The motor 15 is turned on and through the linkage heretofore described shaft ends 16 and 17 are caused to revolve turning wheel 18 and its cam slot 19. Since cam follower 20 is engaged in cam slot 19 the arm 21, drive rod 25, punch holder 27, punch plate 29 and the punches 30 are caused to move vertically up and down, the punch holder sliding in guide slot 28; thus any can placed beneath the punches 30, when they are in their elevated position, will be punctured on the downward movement of said punches.

The cam 31 is so designed, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, that when punch 30 approaches the top of its vertical movement the cam 31 forces rocker arm 32 rearwardly carrying with it lever 35. Lever 35 pulls cable 39 and advances feed carriage 43; therefore any can placed in front of loader book 45 is advanced to a position directly under punches 30 at the top of their reciprocating position whereupon further rotation of cam 31 allow springs 46 and 47 to return all loading parts to their initial or start position.

It may now be seen that loading of cans in front of loader hook 45 causes first one can to be be advanced and opened then as another can is placed in front of hook 45 it will be advanced and the first, now opened can, will be ejected to the right of the machine.

While I have described the preferred form of my invention it will be apparent to those skileld in the art that several changes may be made without departing from the scope as for example: Speed reducer 11 may be eliminated and a suitable pulley and belt arrangement substituted for slowing down the action of the punches.

I claim:

1. In an automatic punch can opener of the character described, a source of rotary power, means for reducing the speed of said rotary power said means terminating in a double ended rotary shaft, a cam attached to one end of said rotary shaft, a drive rod connected at one end through intermediate linkage to said cam for vertical reciprocating movement and connected at the other end to a punch holder carrying punches, said punch holder held from horizontal movement by a guide slot, a second cam attached to the opposite end of said rotary shaft, a feed carriage attached to and operated by linkage means, said linkage means being in engagement with said second named cam to convert the rotary movement to a horizontal movement 2. In an automatic punch can opener of the character of the arm of said feed carriage toward said punches and described in claim 1; and means for returning said feed feed gripping means mounted on said feed carriage, the carriage to its starting position as said punches move vercam surface on said second named earn which causes the tically downward.

horizontal movement of said feed carriage toward said 5 punches being axially aligned with the cam surface on said References Cited in the file of this patent first named cam which causes the upward movement of said punches whereby a can placed in front of said feed UNITED STATES PATENTS gripping means is moved to a position under said punches 2,791,828 Hatchett May 14, 1957 when said punches are at the top of their vertical move- 10 2,916,817 Nordquist Dec. 15, 1959 ment. 2,979,816 Hopper Apr. 18, 1961 

1. IN AN AUTOMATIC PUNCH CAN OPENER OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, A SOURCE OF ROTARY POWER, MEANS FOR REDUCING THE SPEED OF SAID ROTARY POWER SAID MEANS TERMINATING IN A DOUBLE ENDED ROTARY SHAFT, A CAM ATTACHED TO ONE END OF SAID ROTARY SHAFT, A DRIVE ROD CONNECTED AT ONE END THROUGH INTERMEDIATE LINKAGE TO SAID CAM FOR VERTICAL RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT AND CONNECTED AT THE OTHER END TO A PUNCH HOLDER CARRYING PUNCHES, SAID PUNCH HOLDER HELD FROM HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT BY A GUIDE SLOT, A SECOND CAM ATTACHED TO THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID ROTARY SHAFT, A FEED CARRIAGE ATTACHED TO AND OPERATED BY LINKAGE MEANS, SAID LINKAGE MEANS BEING IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SECOND NAMED CAM TO CONVERT THE ROTARY MOVEMENT TO A HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT OF THE ARM OF SAID FEED CARRIAGE TOWARD SAID PUNCHES AND FEED GRIPPING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID FEED CARRIAGE, THE CAM SURFACE ON SAID SECOND NAMED CAM WHICH CAUSES THE HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID FEED CARRIAGE TOWARD SAID PUNCHES BEING AXIALLY ALIGNED WITH THE CAM SURFACE ON SAID FIRST NAMED CAM WHICH CAUSES THE UPWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID PUNCHES WHEREBY A CAN PLACED IN FRONT OF SAID FEED GRIPPING MEANS IS MOVED TO A POSITION UNDER SAID PUNCHES WHEN SAID PUNCHES ARE AT THE TOP OF THEIR VERTICAL MOVEMENT. 